Dorset Airlines

For 50 years Bonny toured the UK and various far flung parts of the world with The Yettles Folk Band. He now performs solo, doing concerts of his own songs and rustic rhymes and historical talks, mainly in and around and about his beloved home county of Dorset. This is a collection of his writings plus songs he just loves to sing.

Songs/Writings include:

Dorset Airlines - The only airline to offer parachutes to every passenger.

Noisy Neighbours - I'm deeply involved with Halsway Manor near Crowcombe In Somerset, the National Centre for the Folk Arts. There's a rookery in the trees a few yards from the door and I wondered what they thought when we moved in 50 years ago and started disturbing the peace.

Caesar's Holiday - From 'A History of the Duratrlges Tribe In Dorset' by Ezmeralda Sartin circa 2 BC scroll found in my garden while digging parsnips in 2010 AD.

My Way - I took my driving test In a 1933 Ford 8 and failed the first time so I know what I'm singing about. Apologles to Frank but he's not likely to complain.

Gardener's Hint - Six methods of dealing with them slimy slugs.

Scarborough Fair - This was always one of my favourite traditional songs.

Honey Pots - Life in the years B.P. was not all honey. B.P. stands for 'Before Plumbing'.

Yetmlnster F.M. - The F.M. stands for 'Farmyard Music'.

Adze and Plane and Up and Down in the Plymouth Sound - I wrote these two songs for a talk I do about Edmund Sartin who left Corscombe and took his family off to Plymouth in 1840 and sailed for New Zealand on the 312 barque the William Bryan with 153 other passengers. Thoughts on leaving Corscombe and the horrendous start to their voyage in Plymouth Sound.

The Museum Piece - Mac, Pete and I were always joking about finishing up in the Dorset County Museum.

Ralelgh's 1st Expedition - Walter Raleigh lived in Sherbome Castle. The river Yeo rises nearby and flows through the castle grounds. From the ships log which was found propping up the privy of Jeremiah Sartin in 1908.

My Grandfarther's Ferret - My father kept a ferret for his rabbiting and believe me, whoever wrote this parody, really knew which end of a ferret to avoid.

Mollymauk (Watson) - The Mollymauk is another name for the Albatross. Great Mystical birds that spend their lives floatlng on or above the Southern Ocean. I love the song but I'm not sure I want to go visiting.

Robin Hood and Little John - Robin Hood of course, came from Dorset. "Oh! Yes he did!" "Oh! No he didn't!"

The Highwayman's Heros - From the book "Robbing People up the Wrong Way' by Jebadiah Sartin, 1756

The Soup Green Pea - Apologies to The Beach Boys but, Let's face It, their words never made a lot of sense.

Talkalot.con - You what what I'm talking about!

When the Snows of Winter Fall (Miles) - I was doing a concert in Oxfordhsire and won a CD in the raffle. We listened to it on the way home and I was 'fetched' by this song. I hope you will be to.

Napoleon at Lulworth Cove - Legend has it that Napoleon came to Lullworth Cove to check it out as a place to land hts troops. Now for the first time, we have the full story.

The Smuggler's Lament - Smuggling was very big business in Dorset from about 1750 to 1815. Many of the smugglers ships carried cannon but if the navy caught up with you there was a fair chance you'd be out-gunned.

Perfections Hard to Come By - The Sartin philosophy for life.

The Dunn Song - Peter Kennedy collected this at Wootton Fitzpaine in the 19SO's. It's Dorset with, I suspect, music hall connections.